Gay Missouri Teen Told He Can't Bring Male Date to Prom: VIDEO

Another discriminatory school situation, this time in Scott County, Missouri, where a senior high school student is not being allowed to bring a male date to the prom, KFVS reports:

Dawson asked Scott County Central administrators if he could bring his same-sex date to the senior prom.

"The school board says since it was in the handbook it could be awhile before it was changed, and I probably would not be able to bring my date," said Dawson.

The handbook states, "High School students will be permitted to invite one guest, girls invite boys and boys invite girls."

"We looked at the policy and realized it was blatantly unconstitutional," said Alesdair Ittelson. Ittelson is a staff attorney for the civil rights group Southern Poverty Law Center. Ittelson sent a letter to Scott County Central School District Officials requesting them to change the handbook.

"It tells LGBT students that they don't deserve the same rights as their heterosexual peers, and that's not right and that's not constitutional," said Ittelson.

Comments

I feel bad that kids have to go through these struggles but I know they are necessary for gaining equal rights. I hope this kid remains a fighter for equality and has lots of support. This kid is brave and is making a difference, I wish him good luck!

Posted by: Isaac | Feb 15, 2013 8:48:05 AM

It's crappy that this kid has to go through this BS. But in the mean time, hopefully, he has female friends who can invite his date, and they can simply meet up at the prom. There's more than one way to get around this ridiculous rule.

Posted by: Taylor | Feb 15, 2013 9:23:02 AM

The way to get around this ridiculous rule, which has been understood to be unconstitutional for many years now, is to rescind it, voluntarily or by court order. Just do the time-honored exercise of substituting race for sexual orientation as the reason for the discrimination and see how it sounds. This isn't a gray area.

Of course, what's most important is that a HIGH SCHOOL'S HANDBOOK states its rules in run-on sentences. Quelle horreur.

Posted by: Steve Scarborough | Feb 15, 2013 9:41:38 AM

I agree with Taylor. Either find a lesbian couple or perhaps two other girls that need 'dates' for the prom. It's going to take some time for Missouri to catch up.

Posted by: JohnP | Feb 15, 2013 9:48:40 AM

Cheer up, the high school I was at yesterday had "Valentine Games" during an assembly, all with male-female pairs; one of the "games" involved having the guy lie on the floor and covering his face with whipped cream, and the girl had to lick it off. Comparatively, LGBT kids should probably be grateful they didn't have to embarrass themselves, heterosexism aside. (Your tax dollars at work!)

Posted by: Dback | Feb 15, 2013 9:59:21 AM

Holy crap, did you guys see the school's racist "dancing Indian" mascot in that video? I don't think the ol' "imagine how your rule would sound if you substituted race for sexual orientation" argument is going to work on those asshats...

Posted by: s_b | Feb 15, 2013 10:46:25 AM

The heterosexism and homophobia in our society and especially in these small, rural communities is just completely out of control. Completely out of control. And it's intentional and a clear backlash against our community. We're going to have to fight very hard now to stop these actions against us.

Posted by: Francis | Feb 15, 2013 11:03:46 AM

This reminds me of the Virginia legislature passing laws against sodomy in colonial times. It's rather difficult to imagine that they even talked about such things, much less that they would feel the need to address it in the law. So it is with this blesséd handbook; how was it that someone thought to specify that a date had to be of the opposite sex long before it was even on the radar that a teen would bring a gay date? And haven't less popular girls been known to accompany each other to the prom throughout the history of the semi-formal?

Posted by: David Hearne | Feb 15, 2013 11:22:47 AM

@S_B

Don't be silly. Schools have mascots and they are usually depicted in caricature. Vikings, Indians, miners, pioneers, whatever a "sooner" is, buccaneers, etc...

I suppose you would object to a pirate as a racial and class stereotype?

Posted by: David Hearne | Feb 15, 2013 11:40:27 AM

@ Francis

"The heterosexism and homophobia in our society and especially in these small, rural communities is just completely out of control."

As opposed to Anacostia or Brooklyn?

Posted by: David Hearne | Feb 15, 2013 11:42:12 AM

When I was in school I don't remember us having to have our dates approved.

Posted by: db | Feb 15, 2013 12:13:37 PM

Schools are poor and always in need of money for this and money for that and yet it appears there is always money for defending stupid rules made by ignorant school boards.
Sue the bastards into following the Constitution of the United States.

Posted by: ***** | Feb 15, 2013 12:40:03 PM

I agree with Taylor, however I can't see why they call can't show up together, as 'officially' she did ask and show up with a girl. In your FACE rules!

Posted by: Andrew | Feb 15, 2013 3:20:13 PM

As I see it, the rule discriminates against single students almost as much as it does against gay students.

If a girl is not ready yet for romantic or sexual relationships (or perhaps has no interested suitors), why should she have to show up alone, rather than inviting her best friend or a female cousin to come share the moment with her? (And the same goes for a male in that situation, obviously.)

The rule reinforces a lot of antiquated and offensive ideas, including that if you're that plain-looking wallflower whom the boys haven't noticed, then don't bother coming.

Posted by: GregV | Feb 15, 2013 3:22:47 PM

@GregV - that was my thought. Why must one bring a date and not just a friend? Forcing dating at this stage of life really doesn't work for everyone - gay or straight.